Choopan Grill

Kabayan Grill

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Kabayan Grill, East Meadow: Housed in an former Taco Bell, the bright, no-frills Kabayan Grill joins the handful of Filipino eateries on Long Island offering staples such as lechon, sisig, lumpia and siningang.

Swell Taco

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Swell Taco, Patchogue: It's all about the surf-centric vibe at the second location of Swell Taco, an offshoot of the Babylon eatery.

Olde Trading Post Tavern

Henley's Village Tavern

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Henley's Village Tavern, Brightwaters: This new gastropub in the heart of quaint Brightwaters offers craft cocktails, clever twists on bar food and "scratch kitchen" dishes that take advantage of seasonal ingredients and the chef's creative whims.

Tao's Peking Duck House

(Credit: Steve Remich)

Tao's Peking Duck House, Glen Cove: Tao's Peking Duck House in Glen Cove is one of the few Long Island practitioners of Peking duck service, an imperial-era dish that these days is a national symbol of Chinese cooking.

Margarita's Cafe

Margarita's Cafe, Williston Park: The sixth link in a local Mexican mini-chain, Margarita's Cafe in Williston Park is a better place to drink than eat.

Copper Pot Chicken Co.

(Credit: Yvonne Albinowski)

Copper Pot Chicken Co., Rockville Centre: A fried chicken dish that originated as special on a steakhouse menu, has been spun off into its own restaurant in Rockville Centre. Copper Pot Chicken Co. features birds that have been bathed in a 24-hour brine, crusted in a mix that include matzo meal and then fried twice so the chicken is extra crisp.

Raju's Egg & Veg

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Raju's Egg & Veg, Hicksville: This egg-centric (and eccentric) Indian restaurant in Hicksville is a must-visit for LI vegetarians, and anyone else who loves eggs.

The Brixton

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The Brixton, Babylon: At this stand-out Babylon gastropub, the food, drinks and design are all raising the bar.

New Fu Run

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New Fu Run, Great Neck: Serving the gutsy cuisine of Northeast China in an elegant, comfortable setting, Great Neck's New Fu Run rewards the adventurous diner.

NY Garden Kabobs

Crabtree's New York & Main

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Crabtree's New York & Main, Huntington: Perched above downtown Huntington's main crossroads, Crabtree's New York & Main is a late-night spot with a wide-ranging drinks menu and a caloric roster of gastropub fare.

Clay Oven

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Clay Oven, Hauppauge: At Clay Oven, Lubna Habibi is pushing the limits of authentic South Asian food that go beyond what we've come to define as such fare with dishes like tandoori chicken wings, pakoras that play on cheese sticks and a lamb meatball curry that falls in the scotch egg family. With most dishes on the menu $10 or less, it's easy to venture outside your comfort zone and leave with a little extra for tomorrow.

Ramen Kyoto

Caffé Ole

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Caffé Ole, Huntington Station: At this meat-centric Colombian restaurant, Oscar Castiblanco showcases traditional dishes. You want the picada, a party platter of salt-packed morsels that is best described as meat candy.

Turkuaz Mediterranean Gourmet

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Turkuaz Mediterranean Gourmet, West Hempstead: Don't let the modest surroundings fool you: This Turkish grocery store is serving up some of the best Middle Eastern food on Long Island. Kebabs, particularly the spicy Adana kebab and the yogurt-and-tomato-sauced Iskender kebab are showstoppers, as are all the three salads based on eggplant.

Wahlburgers

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Wahlburgers, Port Jefferson Station: This burger joint at the heart of a reality TV show is not the same in real life.

Wildfeast

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Wildfeast, Long Beach: This cool, contemporary newcomer rocks Long Beach's main drag.

Campagne House

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Campagne House, Bethpage: Campagne House in Bethpage is an American bistro with Asian, Latin and Italian sprinkled in. Food is served in a rustic, farmhouse-style setting with indoor and outdoor seating.

Dosa World

Dosa World, Hicksville: Set in a modest strip mall, Dosa World turns out elegant renditions of Indian fare from around the country.

Toast Coffeehouse

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Toast Coffeehouse, Patchogue: A sibling to the Port Jefferson location, Toast Coffeehouse in Patchogue serves breakfast and lunch in a prime location with high turnover and plenty of seating.

River Mill Tavern and Tables

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River Mill Tavern and Tables, Lynbrook: A neighborhood place for families in the dining room or friends at the bar, River Mill Tavern and Tables in Lynbrook offers generous portions of comfort food classics and a straightforward selection of drinks.

Vauxhall

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Vauxhall, Huntington: Follow the crowd to Vauxhall in Huntington for craft brews, artisan burgers and a fun late-night menu, served until 2 a.m.

Greek Cove

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Greek Cove, East Norwich: Fine house-made gyro and falafel are two of the main draws at this small Greek strip-mall spot. Although the place can be chilly on windy winter nights, service is invariably warm and friendly. A vibrant Greek salad is included on most entrée platters. Other recommendations include hummus, babaghanoush and pork souvlaki.

Villa Olivetti

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Villa Olivetti, St. James: Restaurateur Mauricio Oliveras is back at his former digs with this gracious new value-oriented Italian restaurant. Here, a 3-course prix-fixe menu prevails at lunch and dinner every day. Recommendations include straciatella, chicken or eggplant parm, cavatelli alla Martha and rigatoni melanzana. Finish with flan or raspberry cheesecake.

LI Pour House

LI Pour House, Port Jefferson Station: At LI Pour House, a lively sports bar, you get to pour your own craft beer and cider. The real draw, though, is the BBQ from chef co-owner Joseph Sestinger, who knows the art of slow-smoking. Top picks include burnt brisket ends, sliders with pulled pork, pulled chicken and brisket, smoked and fried chicken thighs and mac and cheese-topped hot dogs.

Le Pain Quotidien

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Le Pain Quotidien, Garden City: Beautifully furnished in country French pale woods, this Roosevelt Field branch of an international chain based in Belgium is big on style but falls short when it comes to delivering value on your dining dollar. Best dishes: oatmeal with bananas and walnuts, vegetable quiche, soup (both carrot and chick pea rate highly), pain au chocolat and "banoffee" tart.

Sonoma Grill East

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Sonoma Grill East, Riverhead: Sonoma Grill East brings a casual vibe and a catchall menu to Riverhead. Standouts include Grandma pizza, summer squash linguini and chicken and waffles. Pancakes at brunch work well too.

South Shore Dive Pub and Kitchen

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South Shore Dive Pub and Kitchen, West Sayville: This hip little gastro bar can reverberate at busy times. The draws are craft brews and cocktails and such comfort fare as Buffalo leg confit -- chicken legs fried in duck fat and coated with a nuanced cumin sauce -- mac and cheese and the Dive King burger, two patties topped with spicy ketchup, bacon, cheddar and more.

Mazi

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Mazi, Riverhead: After a fire destroyed his previous restaurant, Athens Grill, John Mantzopoulos has returned with this more casual and moderately-priced Mediterranean-Greek spot, which has a sleek industrial look. A major strength is house-made gyro from a chef committed to making virtually everything from scratch. Other items you won't want to miss are braised giant butter beans, panko-crusted crab fritters, moussaka, spinach pie and a mixed grill platter with chargrilled skewered pork and chicken and a lamb chop.

Schout Bay Tavern

(Credit: Benjamin Petit)

Schout Bay Tavern, Manhasset: Schout Bay (pronounced Scout Bay) is the Dutch name originally given to Manhasset, home to this uber-hip new tavern. Decor is sleek and classy, with comfortable raised booths in the bar area and tables in the rear. On weekend evenings, the place can look (and sound) as if all Manhasset has squeezed inside. What keeps people coming back is chef Shawn Patrick's cooking. Recommendations include such dishes as butternut squash soup, mac and cheese with pork belly and panko crumbs, cedar plank salmon, roasted Cornish hen and, at brunch, avocado toast topped with smoked salmon.

PeraBell Food Bar

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PeraBell Food Bar, Riverhead: PeraBell Food Bar, the offshoot of a popular Patchogue spot, has become an instant hit in Riverhead. Pizza from the restaurant's wood-burning oven is a must; request the pizza menu if you're not given one. Other standouts include creamy mac and four cheeses, a first-rate "chophouse" burger, crisp-skinned half chicken and, for dessert, creme brulee.

Escorza's Mexican Restaurant

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Escorza's Mexican Restaurant, Levittown: When a restaurant is driven by passion, you know it: The food is that much more vibrant, the service that much warmer and more professional. Such is the case at Escorza's Mexican Restaurant in Levittown, whose Mexico City-born chef-owner Rene Escorza clearly loves what he does. Among the many standouts here are the rich, resonant tortilla soup, made-to-order guacamole, Mexican-style chorizo tacos, chicken mole poblano and tres leches cake.

3 Brothers Vegan Cafe

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3 Brothers Vegan Cafe, Copiague: Long Island vegans now have a restaurant entirely their own, thanks to one ambitious 23-year-old. Chef Jay Astafa (whose pizza won first place in a 2011 national vegan competition) co-owns the place with his parents and brothers. What they offer is an exclusively plant-based menu -- no meat, no eggs, no milk, no cheese. Vegan cheese, though, is made in-house using cashew milk. Standouts include oyster-mushroom calamari, Buffalo cauliflower, arancini (Italian rice balls), a classic Caesar salad, eggplant Parmigiana and seitan piccata.

Das Biergarten

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Das Biergarten, Long Beach: Restaurateur Andrew Hetzler's Long Beach beer hall and restaurant radiates "Gemutlichkeit," a feeling of warmth and welcome. Weekends, the action really gets going, with live German music and all kinds of beer-drinking festivities at long communal wooden tables. Recommended dishes include crisp, comforting potato pancakes, the classic bratwurst sandwich on a pretzel bun, schweinshaxe -- a big crisp-skinned roasted pork shank served with the ever-versatile red cabbage -- and, for dessert, warm apple strudel with vanilla bean ice cream.

New York Burger Bar

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New York Burger Bar, Massapequa: A certifiably hip spot (brick walls, wood floors, tin ceiling, earsplitting noise level), New York Burger Bar focuses on its namesake specialty, with a few side trips. Standouts include the cheese-stuffed Juicy Lucy, a simple Cheddar burger and a surprisingly moist and flavorsome turkey burger. A quirky hit is the French Canadian phenomenon called poutine -- hand-cut fries topped with brown gravy and cheese curds. Finish with a chocolate milk shake or brownie sundae, both made with Häagen-Dazs ice cream.

Golden Dynasty

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Golden Dynasty, St. James: Chinese nostalgia classics, like BBQ spareribs, scallion pancakes and shrimp lo mein, are served with style at this classy Chinese newcomer whose roots in St. James go back more than two decades.

Oregano Joe's

(Credit: Christopher Occhicone)

Oregano Joe's, Wantagh: Steeped in Long Island tradition, Oregano Joe's offers the classic Italian-American comfort trinity: Pizza, pasta and parms. Not to be missed is the Sunday macaroni special (pictured), featuring pasta with stewed short rib, meatball and sweet Italian sausage. Also recommended: calamari arrabiatta (sauce on the side), chicken parm, and the Nutella sundae for dessert.

Tony Cuban Cucina & Cocktails

(Credit: Marisol Diaz)

Tony Cuban Cucina & Cocktails, Freeport: You'll want to catch the prix-fixe meal deals at non-prime-time hours at this Cuban-Italian hybrid with a lovely water view. Avoid bustling weekend evenings and, instead, settle in for a $15.15 lunch (or $20. 95 dinner) that includes a beverage as well as an appetizer and main course. Among top choices: eggplant "frittes," pulled pork quesadilla (pictured), mussels and the innovative Cuban-Italian sandwich, a classic Cubano punched up with prosciutto and Genoa salami.

Anaconda Latin Fusion Bistro

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Anaconda Latin Fusion Bistro, Huntington Station: Peruvian rotisserie chicken, bronze and juicy is just one of the attractions at this pretty pan-Latin spot. You'll find weekend musical entertainment with broad appeal as well as such culinary draws as asprightly ceviche, savory shrimp with garlic sauce and hearty Colombian meat platter, or bandeja.

Rincon Criollo Restaurant

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Rincon Criollo Restaurant, Huntington Station: Lively, hearty Cuban food is what Rincon Criollo has been feeding diners in Corona, Queens, since 1976. Now, the restaurant has opened a branch in Huntington Station. You'll want to go the handsome and hospitable spot for such dishes as the Cuban tamale, ropa vieja (softly stewed beef), Cuban sandwich and custardy flan de leche.

Azulejos Fine Mexican Cuisine

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Azulejos Fine Mexican Cuisine, Smithtown: You know at the first bite of the moist, savory tamales that Azulejos is no ordinary Mexican restaurant. This you might not guess by looking at the menu, embedded with such Americanized items as chimichangas, burritos and fajitas. Recommended items in chef Lorenzo Gonzalez's repertoire include a vibrant shrimp ceviche, tacos Mexicanos (the piquant chorizo sausage version is tops), juicy chuletas de cerdo (or grilled pork chops in garlic sauce) and, for dessert, bananas flambe.

One Block East

(Credit: Aaron Zebrook)

One Block East, Wantagh: Casual and cacophonous, One Block East features an impressive array of craft brews - many of them local - on tap and in bottles. Although the high-decibel place can be something of a roller-coaster ride, chef Brian Chichester's cooking makes it one usually worth taking. Among recommendations: pulled pork empanadas, smoked brisket tacos, fish and chips and a gluten-free banana cream pie dessert served in a Mason jar.

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas

(Credit: Jeremy Bales)

Spuntino Wine Bar & Italian Tapas, Garden City: There's no need to commit to a big meal at this offshoot of a New Jersey restaurant where there are plenty of options for sharing, plus interesting wines by the bottle and glass — even a few on tap. Recommended: grilled marinated lamb chops (pictured); ricotta gnocchi with a wild boar ragout; bruschetta with watermelon, ricotta, fennel and fresh mint; funghi white pizza; psaghetti carbonara with bacon, peas and egg; apple crostata

Stella Blue

(Credit: Marisol Diaz)

Stella Blue, Huntington: An eccentric new eatery named for a Grateful Dead song evokes the days of Woodstock. Though it's a challenge to find comfortable seating in the mix of mismatched antique furniture, and counter service is super-friendly but not always super-efficient, this eclectic spot holds a ton of promise. Recommended: smoky pulled pork platter with house-made slaw and jalapeno cornbread (pictured), El Paso with pulled pork, grilled peppers and onions, Cheddar and sour cream, and mini powdered doughnuts.

Manning's Pub and Grill

(Credit: Marisol Diaz)

Manning's Pub and Grill, Carle Place: With countless TVs tuned to the big game, the decibel level at this sprawling Irish pub is often out-of-control. But the kitchen isn't at least not when chef de cuisine Paul Hanzel is in the house. Things can get erratic, though, on quieter nights, when nobody seems in command. Recommended dishes include an appetizer sampler platter, served on a shamrock-shaped wooden board, pigs in blankets, chicken pot pie, spinach-arugula salad and the comforting, savory shepherds pie.

Bluestone Tavern

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Bluestone Tavern, West Sayville: It's as if someone had taken a magic wand to the former 21 Main, transforming the pricey, stuffy steakhouse into someplace hip, young and affordable. John Menz's menu, headlined by whimsical, spirited appetizers, works well in the strikingly attractive setting. Recommendations include short rib sliders, meatball Parm pops, a meatball flight and a marinated sirloin sandwich. Finish with "milk and cookies" i.e., a mini chocolate shake with two warm chocolate chip cookies placed rakishly atop.

Grillmark

(Credit: Yvonne Albinowski)

Grillmark, Albertson: This is that rare restaurant you can feel good about frequenting more than once a week: Surroundings are sleek, prices moderate and the menu, devoted to Mediterranean-style fare, skews healthy. Recommended: all skewers, though particularly good is the swordfish (pictured); house-made chicken and pork gyros; salmon kale salad with quinoa and avocado; Thai shrimp salad featuring fennel and pineapple; baklava, rice pudding